


Requiem

by SonriaCat



Series: Tales from Winter Camp [13]
Category: Earth 2 (TV 1994)
Genre: 100 situations, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2019-02-20 08:32:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13142898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonriaCat/pseuds/SonriaCat
Summary: Sometimes the best words are those already written.





	Requiem

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Death

Hissing softly, Danziger pushed the shovel into the ground so that the handle would stay upright, and turned his hands over for examination. There were blisters and raw spots on the palms and fingers. He should have put on a pair of gloves.

Too late now. Shaking his head, he sank down next to the grave he’d just finished filling and curled his hands into fists. One of the blisters broke, causing another pinprick of pain. He ignored it. It was a small price to pay.

Across from him, the Grendler still sat and looked at the grave. It hadn’t moved or made a sound the whole time.

“Let me see that.” Julia picked one of his hands up for inspection.

“It’s nothing.”

“It won’t be nothing if you let it get infected.” Quickly, efficiently, she sterilized both of his hands, applied ointment and wrapped bandages. “Keep these clean. They can come off in a day or two.”

“Okay.”

“You should get some rest. We all need it.”

“Yeah.” It was acknowledgment, not agreement, and the doctor knew it. She hadn’t met his eyes the whole time she’d been treating him. Now, he could see her close her bag and sit back on her heels. Alonzo came to join her.

“We should say something,” she finally said.

It came out on an exhaled breath, one Danziger hadn’t even been aware he’d been holding. “I know. But I don’t know what.”

“I do.” Bess knelt on his other side and laid her hands on the turned earth. Morgan had come to stand behind her. “Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord,” she began.

“And let perpetual light shine upon her,” finished Alonzo. He met Bess’ startled eyes. “My grandmother was Catholic, back when it was still —” he cut off, shaking his head. “Anyway.”

After a moment, she continued. “May her soul and the souls of all the departed rest in peace.”

“Amen,” murmured the rest of them in unison.

It happened without discussion. Bess sat back and reached for Morgan’s hand, resting the other one on Danziger’s shoulder. Without thought for the bandages, he reached for Julia’s hand. She took it and then reached across toward Alonzo.

After a moment, Alonzo laid his free hand on the Grendler’s arm. It started with surprise and looked at him, but otherwise didn’t move.

“It’s not much,” he said, emotion choking his voice. “But —”

The Grendler reared its head toward the sky and howled, a long, mournful cry. Nobody spoke or moved for a long time, until it finally patted Alonzo’s hand and then withdrew its own, before moving back to the sitting position it had taken outside of the camp.

The message was clear: the words might not have been much, but they were enough.

“Come on,” said Bess quietly. “Let’s let it have some time alone for a while.”

She supported Danziger’s elbow so he didn’t have to use his hands when they stood. Alonzo came over and took the shovel, and the walked out of the clearing together, as a group. They were quiet. It didn’t matter. They were together, and there was nothing more they needed to say.


End file.
